


‘Cause I’m A Mirrorball

by wtfnoir



Series: The Agreste Children [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Based on a Taylor Swift Song, F/M, Father and Son, Louis Agreste need a hug., Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:42:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28886295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wtfnoir/pseuds/wtfnoir
Summary: Louis Agreste has always felt that he needed to be perfect, that he always had to be this perfect son, person, student, and example. He felt that no one knew what he felt like. Except one person actually did.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Louis Agreste, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Emma Agreste/Hugo Agreste/Louis Agreste, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Emma Agreste & Louis Agreste
Series: The Agreste Children [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116146
Comments: 2
Kudos: 41





	‘Cause I’m A Mirrorball

The sun slowly started to shine through all of Paris, for some that meant a start to a new day. But for others, that meant the start of a another day in what you could call “Hell”.

Louis’ alarm went off just as he began to close his eyes after a long night of staring at his ceiling. The 16 year old reached for his phone and turned his alarm off. 

As Louis reached his bathroom, he saw himself yet again with bloodshot eyes and huge under eye bags. He sighed and began to get ready. The words, “You are going to break into a million pieces” kept spinning around in his mind over and over. 

Louis looked at himself in the mirror and said, “You can’t break. There is nothing to be broken anymore. You’re fine.” Even though in his mind he knew none of that was true. 

You see the thing is, Louis was a people pleaser. He was the one in the family who was deemed funny, he was the one who was always smiling, he was the image of a perfect child. At least that’s how people perceived him. 

Behind closed doors, Louis felt like a puppet. It felt like he always had to be perfect. He was the oldest of his siblings, he was the smart one, no tragedy had ever come his way. Nothing bad every happened to him. 

He didn’t have to figure out his sexuality like his twin brother, he didn’t lose his best friend to suicide like his sister. So what in the actual fuck was wrong with him? What could he have done wrong? 

Louis had never done anything wrong in his life. He’d never fall back on his studies, he was always supportive of his siblings, he was a fencing master, and he was who everyone wanted him to be.

Correction, he would change himself to fit what other people wanted him to be. At an instant Louis could change the way he smiled, the way he spoke, the way he walked, and the way he felt. He was a Mirrorball.

Louis could be an extrovert who would say anything that came to mind, and then the next moment he could be this introvert who would do nothing but stare at the ceiling wishing he could hide away. 

He wanted everyone to see him and never look away. He wanted to be the perfect child everyone claimed he was. Louis always knew he was held up on this pedestal, also looked up to. Always the perfect one. Always. 

Louis heard a knock at his door, he opened the door and saw Emma, “Good morning! I told Maman and Papa that you needed a day off from everything today. So you need to go back to bed. You deserve a day off.” 

“What do you mean?” Louis asked. “You don’t have to go to school today. Today is going to be a day off for you.” Emma said. “I- Thank you Ems.” “I’m always here Louis. I know it’s not always easy for you. Like I said, you deserve a day off.” Emma said pulling her brother in for a hug. 

———————————————————————  
When Louis finally opened his eyes again he noticed that outside the sun was staring to set. He picked up his phone and say missed calls from friends, texts from Hugo asking where he was, messages from Emma every hour checking up on him and saying how strong he was. 

The last message Louis noticed was one from his Papa that’s read, “When you wake up come to my office :D”. Louis sighed and got up out of his bed. He made his way downstairs to his Papa’s office. He could hear his siblings with their Maman in the kitchen talking about her upcoming collection. 

As he walked down the hall to his fathers office Louis’ head began to have all of the thoughts from that morning come back into his head. He sighed when he reached the end of the hallway. 

Louis knocked on the door and heard a quiet, “Come in.” “You wanted to see me?” Louis asked as he opened the door. “I did! I wanted to ask you a few questions.” Adrien responded as Louis sat down. 

“I promise l didn’t ask Emma if she would ask you and Maman for a day off for me.” Louis said. “I know you didn’t. You know your sister. She is the helper who never asks for help.” Adrien said, “But why did you need a day off?” 

“I just haven’t gotten that much sleep lately, that’s all it is.” Louis responded lower his head to look at the ground. “That’s all?” “That’s all Papa. Just needed some extra sleep.” 

“Louis I know you’re lying. You’re just like me why I lie,” Adrien said, “You look down at the ground, your answers are short and to the point, and you don’t know how to look people in the eyes when your lying.” 

As Louis began to raise his head, he felt his eyes start to water up. He pushed back tears and looked at his father with a stone cold stare. “Louis you know you’re exactly like me right?”

“What do you mean by that?” “Other then you having my face shape and eyes, your personality and the way you think you have to act. You are like me when I was 16.” Adrien said and Louis stared at him in confusion. 

“I don’t know what you mean by how I have to act. I act the way I always so. Carefree and Dreamy. If you know what I mean.” Louis said with a sarcastic grin. “Dear god, can we go one year without mentioning anything that has to do with the fragrance I had when I was younger?” “No we cannot.” Louis said.

“Going back to what I was saying Louis,” Adrien said as his son laughed, “You change the way you act, the way you speak, the way you smile, and the way you feel. You’re a people please Lou. I know one when I see on.” “How do you even know that?” “Because I’m a people pleaser myself.”

“Growing up was not the easiest for me. We all know some of what I grew up with, but what you are your siblings don’t know is that I had to or felt like I had to change myself to fit everyone’s expectations for me.” Adrien said, 

“I felt that I had to be this perfect son, this perfect boy, this perfect student, this perfect human, this perfect image your Grandfather wanted me to be so badly. I was never a natural at it, I was always trying to be perfect. Always trying to outdo myself and my peers. I always wanted my fathers approval.”

“I guess you could say I feel the same way.” Louis said as he took a step towards his Papas desk, “I always feel the need to be perfect, this need to fit in where ever I go, this need to be the example. I always want to succeed and impress you and Maman. I want to be a good example for Emma, I want to not feel like I’m playing a part every single time I step out of this house. I feel like a puppet most days. I feel like someone is pulling my strings and deciding what I do and how I feel.” 

“It’s so hard to play this part you make yourself play, it’s hard to keep up with it too. It doesn’t come easy.” Adrien said taking Louis’ hand into his, “You don’t need to impress your Maman and I, you are setting a wonderful example for Emma, and you don’t need to play this part Louis. You are who you are. Let the true Louis we all love come to the light.” 

“I’ve tried to tell myself that a billion times but it never works. I try and try to be myself but I just go back into the habit of changing myself.” Louis said letting go of Adriens hand. “We can work together on it. I’m here for you, so is your Maman. We are all here Louis.” Adrien said smiling. 

“I don’t want to be a burden on anyone, or put my problems on anyone.” Louis said looking down at the ground. “You are not a burden Louis. We all want to help you.” 

“I know. Thank you. I just don’t understand why I’m like this.” Louis said. “It’s because you’re the Mirrorball of your siblings.” Adrien said getting you from his office chair. “Care to explain what that means?” 

“Well, like me you’re a Mirrorball, always trying to fit in and meet expectations. You’re always trying to up your game in some way. Hugo is a Lover like your Maman. He loves everyone he meets and doesn’t truly hold grudges. He makes sure everyone feels loved and safe. Emma is the Archer of the family. She takes everyone’s pain and helps them through it, she doesn’t deal with her own pain though.” Adrien said putting a hand on his sons shoulder. 

“Holy shit, that actually makes a lot of sense.” Louis said looking at Adrien. “Believe it or not, I know my kids.” Adrien said with his signature grin. “That you do.” Louis said as the two began to walk to the office door.

After exiting the room, Louis stopped and said, “I know I don’t always say it but, I love you Papa.” “I love you too Lou. Never forget that.” Adrien said. 

Louis held out his fist and said, “Fist bump to being Mirrorball’s?” “To being Mirrorball’s.” Adrien said bumping Louis fist. 

That night, Louis got the best night of sleep he had in a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!


End file.
